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• 1 2017-11-05T11:48:37-08:00 Legacy of Mission 66 in Rocky Mountain National Park 5 plain 2017-11-30T09:49:04-08:00

  Dates

  1966 - Present (General Spectrum)

  Fall 1963 (Wirth announces retirement)

  January 1964 (Hartzog becomes Director)

  January 2001 (Beaver Meadows Dedication)
   

  Context

  George Hartzog replaced Conrad Wirth as the director of National Parks in early 1964. He allowed Mission 66 to finish, yet never expanded upon its large-scale restructuring efforts. His Parkscape U.S.A.project attempted to improve preservation policies throughout the Park Service, but was never widely embraced.  

   

  From a logistical standpoint, Mission 66 was extraordinarily successful in Rocky Mountain National Park. The remodeled roads allowed for smoother and wider-ranging accessibility, and new parking lots slightly reduced the amount of automobile crowding. Estes Park benefitted from increased traffic and its more prominent role as a primary locale for overnight visitors. Rocky Mountain National Park avoided much of the widespread criticism that befell Mission 66, but critics still addressed some of the issues posed by the updated infrastructure. The historian Lloyd Musselman remarked that increased visitor comfort and accessibility did not necessarily contribute any significant meaning to the park, and F. Fraser Darling and Noel D. Eichhorn noted that “Mission 66 [had] done comparatively little for the plants and animals.” Indeed, the most stinging observations of Mission 66’s impact on Rocky Mountain National Park revolved around its overall effect on the the park’s preservationist credibility. Increased access raised the risk for environmental degradation, but also supported Conrad Wirth’s prediction that greater park visitation would invariably lead to greater awareness in park preservation.

   
   

  Although updated roads continue to ensure smooth access to the park, Mission 66's most visible legacy in Rocky Mountain National Park is in its visitor centers. All three centers still primarily function as hubs for visitor congregation, but Beaver Meadows remains the project’s most revered architectural achievement. Mission 66 often met mixed reception throughout the National Park Service, but Beaver Meadows generally rose above such criticism. The building’s functionality and its ability to complement the surrounding landscape while encapsulating a modern aesthetic led to its designation as a National Historic Landmark in January, 2001. From its architecture to its furniture, Beaver Meadows continues to adhere to Mission 66’s goals of efficiency and access, and still serves as popular gathering point for future adventures in Rocky Mountain National Park.

   

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